Hello...it's Me

Oh my blog… My neglected shiny red bike. So shiny and bright but no time to take you for a ride. I really wish I was better at this blogging thing. I SO want to be able to do this regularly. I admire so many other bloggers and really wanted to grow my blog and join this amazing community. But right now, motherhood, wifehood, career, and just life has seemed to hold me back. I’m keeping my blog open for the day when I decide to fully commit to it again, but…in the meantime, I’ll just continue with some sporadic posts here and there when I remember about my little red bike in the corner. :)

On that note, just a quick update on life with the girls – Evie and Emi are growing like weeds. These girls simultaneously make me laugh so hard I cry and cry so hard I laugh. While they drive me crazy, they also bring me so much joy that it makes my insides hurt sometimes! I never really knew how much love someone could have for a child until I had my own. 

Emi is now just a few days shy of 22 months and Evie just turned 4. Emi has recently started daycare (this mama is still in disbelief) and Evie starts 4 year old preschool in a few weeks! Say what?!?! I seriously blinked and these girls are not babies anymore. Personality wise, Emi is my little diva/firecracker. When I thought Evie was a handful, I obviously hadn’t met her match! Ha. My little Emilia is full of character, life, and energy. She is always smiling, singing, jumping, climbing, running, and playing. The only time she’s not doing those things is if there is a cartoon on. Currently she is obsessed with Toy Story 1, 2, and 3, as well as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (just the beginning and ending songs though….lovely.) It’s funny because most people tell me that she looks nothing like her big sister, and I always agree…looks wise and personality wise, they are quite different! Emi is my blonde-haired little chubster. Weighing in at around 28 lbs, she has always been in the upper 90th percentile for weight and height…much to the dismay of her older sister who tries to push her around. Emi can definitely hold her own! 

Moving on to Evie…my big girl. It’s hard to believe she is already 4. Seems crazy to me. Evie impresses me every single day with new things she learns. She is the queen of silliness and pretend play. She loves making funny faces, pretending to be an animal, or showing me silly dance moves. She is obsessed with baby dolls and loves being outside – jumping on a trampoline, riding her Power Wheels around, or just kicking a ball. This girl could live outside. Evie is my dark-haired dark-skinned skinny minnie. She has lost all the baby weight and has turned into a beautiful little girl and I can’t seem to get over it. I see her sitting with her legs crossed and imagine her as a teenager. It’s craziness. She’s my first-born baby and holds a special place in my heart. 

Well there it is. An update on Evie and Emi – the today and now. I love them so much and I’m so thankful to have my amazing hubby at my side to help me raise these little troublemakers. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

5 Fun Indoor Activities for Toddlers

Who has 2 thumbs and didn’t post anything on her blog for another full month? This mama. Apparently, I’m not very good at this blogging thing! How did I find time to do this before? Oh yea, only 1 kid. ;) Since my last post, we’ve been keeping ourselves busy with lots of indoor activities, since the weather here hasn’t really quite gotten to lovely Spring levels yet. For those of you still waiting for Spring like we are, I thought I’d share 5 fun/unique ideas we have come up with to keep our kiddos busy and entertained…outside of regular at-home play and crafts, which are good too. :)

1)  Go to the library. I am a strong believer that you need to start introducing kids to books as early as possible! So whether your little ones are 3 months old or 5 years old…the library is a great place!!! 

2)  Go to a show! We are lucky to live close to a big city so there are always plenty of shows and events to go to! Recently, we took Evie to go see Disney Live!, which is a stage show with all the Disney characters – Mickey, Minnie, you know…the gang. ;) She was in Heaven. Although, forewarning…be prepared to dish out $25 on a light up toy, otherwise, you’ll be “that parent” with a screaming child that wants that toy that other girl has. Fun times. 

3)  Plan some indoor swimming/waterpark fun. My kids LOVE water! Emi, in particular, we have to usually pry out of the bathtub every night, because she just won’t quit splashing. Evie does swimming lessons weekly as well, and she loves it. In a few weeks we are packing up and heading to an indoor park too. I’m sure both girls will have a blast! 

4)  Visit a Children’s Museum. Again, we are lucky to live by so many great places. We have an amazing children’s museum close to us, that is really amazing. Evie's daycare took a fieldtrip there recently.  I’m sure we’ll be planning a few more trips there soon while we wait for nicer weather. 

5)  Playdates! If you’re like me, you have friends or family members that have kids that are close in age to your kids! Plan some time to get the kiddos together. It will give you an excuse to catch up with your friend/relative too. Perfect. 

 Would love to hear more indoor fun ideas for toddlers! Let me know in the comments below.

 

Happy Leap Day / Catch-up Post!

Happy Leap Day everyone! Since we get an extra day this year, I thought what better way to use that time than to FINALLY write a new post! My delays in posting can usually be attributed to a hectic life with our two girls! I don’t know how all you mamas find the time to update your blogs! Especially you full time working moms! KUDOS to you! I can barely find time to go pee! Ha. Anyways, we’ve been just trying to make it through winter and combat some sicknesses. Earlier this month Evie got sick with strep throat, and Emi has had 2 ear infections. My poor babies. I hate seeing them sick…it’s tough on everyone. I’m happy to report we’ve gone 2 weeks without anyone being sick…knock on wood! Spring needs to get here PRONTO! :)

In an effort to play a bit of catch up, I wanted to share a few photos from the last several weeks. Some are from Valentine’s Day (I know, we’re so late! Ha) and the others have been sitting on my phone.  

Make sure you check out that last picture of Evie & Emi holding hands while watching cartoons the other day.  They even chose to sit on the same couch next to each other even though they each have their own.  I CAN'T EVEN.  My heart is melted.  

New Year 2016

Happy New Year Everyone! Sorry for being MIA since the start of the New Year! Between the girls getting sick and lots of family events early this month, I have not had much time to blog.  But enough about that...let's do a quick recap of our NYE! 

 We had a really low key NYE this year. We hosted at our house and just had 2 of our good friends come by with their kids. The night consisted of lots of food, wine, and good conversation, while the toddler tornado moved its way through our basement. ;) Seriously…you could barely step anywhere. It was like toys exploded. Ha. Needless to say, the kids had a good time. We managed to snap a few pictures of them in the middle of all the shenanigans. As the night moved on and after the new year, and as the wine kicked in, we decided it was time to karaoke. That was fun. :)  I didn’t snap any pics…Thankfully…Ha. 

 Shifting gears to my thoughts on the new year...whenever a new year starts, like most people, I always try to come up with a goal and think about what I want to accomplish in the next 12 months. I definitely want to focus a lot on ME this year. In all honestly, 2015 was pretty rough for me, personally. Having a toddler and infant has taken its toll. Being a mom is HARD work and I have had my fair share of exhaustion…While I ALWAYS want to put my focus on my family, I also started to realize, that it’s important to focus on MYSELF too. I watched this video recently of an interview by Jada Pinkett-Smith and it really hit me how important this is! Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQK9Ufr4yrY. 

With that, being a mom is such a HUGE part of me, that it will ALWAYS be super important to me to be the best mom I can be to my 2 precious little girls. My heart overflows with love for them and I will continue doing everything I can to cherish all the little moments with them. They are the greatest gift I could ever ask for! 

 Happy New Year everyone!!!

 

Christmas 2015

I’m still smiling. What an amazing Christmas week it has been. I decided to totally unplug myself from work and really focus on the holidays with my family. It was a Christmas for the books. I thought I’d do a quick recap of all things Christmas in our household last week. 

 Christmas Eve is definitely a very special day for us as a family. In our culture (we are Polish), Christmas Eve dinner is a very important event. This year, we did dinner at my sister-in-law’s house. They just bought a new house this year and decided to host. We had an amazing time. The girls always love playing with their cousins and dinner was beyond delicious.  I dressed the girls in little plaid dresses, which I absolutely ADORE on girls for Christmas.  

Later that night, Evie and I made sure we left Santa some Christmas cookies and milk.  And we didn’t forget a carrot for the reindeer too. ;)

 On Christmas morning, the girls hurried downstairs to open presents from Santa (the girls were very spoiled as you can see!)  And, of course, I had to do the matching Christmas jammies.  Disney store for the win this year.  I LOVE their pajamas for kids! :)  

After presents and breakfast, we all went to Christmas Day mass, and then spent the afternoon/evening with my side of the family at my aunt’s house. We had a great time. My cousin’s wife even brought that Pie Face game.  The kids all took turns putting their face into the hole, and it was hilarious. Evie was too scared to play though.  I don't blame her.  Taking some whipped cream to the face is too messy for my fancy girl. ;) 

 The weekend following Christmas was filled with a bunch of lounging around, playing with new toys, eating cinnamon rolls, and drinking hot cocoa. HEAVEN. 

 Overall, Christmas was just perfect. I love that my girls are getting a little older because it means that they really can enjoy the magic of Christmas.  Here's our best family picture...one of these years, we will all look in the same direction. ;)

 And with that, we transition to New Years plans! We will be hosting a small get together for us and one other couple with their kids. Should be a great time. 

 I hope everyone had a FANTASTIC Christmas. Best wishes for an AMAZING 2016!

 

It's the most wonderful time...of the year!

Man oh man. Less than a week until Christmas! The last couple weeks have been one big blur filled with no sleep and constant happenings (hence why my blog has been neglected!) Both girls have been sick with coughs and runny noses and Emi also has FIVE new teeth coming in. Poor kid. She is miserable and we are exhausted. But, the show must go on. While things have been hectic, we have also been enjoying lots of Christmas fun! 

 Let’s start with last weekend. We went to visit a huge Christmas display in a local suburb. Evie and Emi were obsessed with all the Christmas lights. Seeing the girls run around and enjoy the lights really warmed by heart and got me into the holiday spirit. They had a blast and I enjoyed chasing them around snapping pictures. :)  Oh, and aren't these winter hats precious?  My amazing aunt sent them from Poland and I can't help but smile and cry from laughing every time I put them on. They may look funny, but MAN are they WARM.  Thanks Ciocia! :)

 Last weekend we also had Evie’s Christmas recital at her daycare. The kids were absolutely adorable and Evie did great! She recited a poem, sang, and danced! I teared up just watching her. It’s unbelievable to me what a big girl she has become!! 

 This month things have been moving at lightening speeds. We are finally…almost…done with our Christmas shopping. Just a few more last minute gifts to go! I can’t wait for the girls to see everything that Santa brings them. I feel SO blessed to have my family around me this time of year. I hope all of you are enjoying this amazing time of year and spending it surrounded by lots of love!!